One strike

OntarioVanMan · Nov 4, 2007

Well Express-One has one strike in my books.
The other week I questioned the timing of a trip that was set at 50 mph and was told that now ALL trips were set that way!!!
before it was just NLM at 50 and all others at INDUSTRY STANDARD 45 mph.

I find this unconsulted increase in mph contrary to safety and economics.
Just try and make it from Kokomo In to Gary Ind at 5pm. It can be done but ya gotts drive like a bansheee in spots to be ontime. With winter coming and the cost of fuel...It doesn't make sense.

Turtle · Nov 4, 2007

Panther's is a 47 MPH, and that's really on the edge of safety, as well as any kind of decent fuel mileage at all. Sure, if it's all Interstate, even 50 MPH isn't a problem on most runs, but all too often it means running at, or just above, the legal speed limit, which is not good any time, and it can kill your MPG.

On a 300 mile trip, 50 versus even 47 is a difference of nearly 20 minutes, which can mean the difference of taking a 10 or 15 minute break to fuel or not, go to the bathroom or not, get in a traffic delay or not. That's just moronic, and the decision of someone looking at the stock price, not at the business.

Next thing you know they'll be charging you for the privilege of loading your money onto your Comdata card.

Slow and steady, even in expediting, wins the race - Aesop

OntarioVanMan · Nov 5, 2007

turtle said "Next thing you know they'll be charging you for the privilege of loading your money onto your Comdata card."

They do that.... don't they???? Nothing like paying to get your paycheck!

OntarioVanMan · Nov 5, 2007

I don't think the ramifications of such a decision were well thought out if at all....Theres just too many reasons NOT to increase the speed!
Not to mention the clock atarts ticking at pick-up time.....now just how many times if ya have a 5pm pic do you get outta there maybe 5;10-5:15??? Your already late before ya put it in drive!! Now we are phoning in or QC'ing every little delay...They made more work for themselves!

redytrk · Nov 5, 2007

This just points out how stupid it is to have a "one size fits all" method for figuring delivery ETA.

You have to remember the standards date back to the days of Roberts Express running the "Auto Freight"lanes radiating out from Detroit. Mainly in the Tri-State area.(MI,OH,IN)

Now just try to apply that standard to running 75 miles across Chicago 150 miles across NYC.

Maybe someday a programmer will come up with a speed ETA program that will take into consideration the average speed of the intended route.

YEA,RIGHT....I SHOULD LIVE SO LONG!

highway star · Nov 5, 2007

I USED to be with a company that would put you on runs figured at 60mph and not tell you they were doing it. I was on a trip that, in my book, was going well. They called me half way through for an update and said I was running behind. I had only stopped for 10 minutes to take a whizz and fill up my coffee mug. The dispatcher just acted like this was SOP.

greg334 · Nov 5, 2007

OVM,
What's the problem? I can't see a problem.

You're in a van, so 47 or 50 or even 55 should not be a problem for you, should it?

As for the economics of it all, the higher the number the quicker the load can be quoted and the quicker the load can be quoted will give more leverage for Express-1 over other carriers which means more money in their pocket.

fastrod · Nov 5, 2007

I run a van and I base all my runs at 50 mph and have no problems. And you know that when one company starts this others are going to follow suit and raise there standard too.

ebsprintin · Nov 5, 2007

and borders too

And don't forget to factor in five minutes to make border crossings.

eb

OntarioVanMan · Nov 5, 2007

RE: and borders too

Greg....OMG you can't see a problem? 50 is fine IF you pick near the interstate and drop close to an interstate. Like I said try Gary to Kokomo at 4pm...all secondary and lights and small towns. Its do-able but not comfortable. Secondary MIGHT average 60mph hit 2 lights stop for a whiz and you start all over...Newbees will take this 60 to heart and run like a rabbit...it's not safe. In times of insurance costs the cost of fuel...theres no need for any of these companies to compete on this issue...whats next 60 to-day someone goes 62??? This is one trend setting selling point I just can't get behind.
Not to mention winters coming.

buckeyewildman · Nov 5, 2007

RE: and borders too

i really don,t see the big deal i have taken many a load that were avereaged at 50 plus mph did,nt have to speed had time to stop take care of bussiness maybe people need to think ahead a load the length you should,nt have to stop anyways the first thing i always did at the end of the run was make sure i had a full tank and a clean pair of underwear so when that hurry up load popped up all i had to do was get and go do yes unseen circumstances happen sure but someone with just a little thought in mind would be prepared for it

OntarioVanMan · Nov 5, 2007

RE: and borders too

How do ya maintain 50 mph average when it's 5 miles of city driving and 200 miles on a secondary highway speed limit 55mph and 6 small towns speed limits 35-25mph? I know, on the open stretches wind it up and do 75 mph!!! Now thats real smart and professional.

My point is...IF they make it 50 for a van why not make it 55 or even 60 after all we don't scale or do truck routes.

Doggie Daddy · Nov 5, 2007

RE: and borders too

Well Ken to take that clean underwear idea one better,why not just do like that crazy lady astronaut and get a large box of Depends. That and always having your fuel tank full will be just the ticket LOL.DD.

OntarioVanMan · Nov 5, 2007

RE: and borders too

Doggie...I was thinking bedpan myself!

BTW...where the heck ya been? I heard Harry banned ya?*L*

Well I'll just wait till someone increases the C and D speeds then I'll sit back and watch all thier whinning!!!

ATeam · Nov 5, 2007

RE: and borders too

We drive team so it is easier to get ahead of a 50 mph trip plan. For example, you don't need to stop to get something to eat. Your codriver can make a sandwich while you keep driving. Even so, we do get behind for the same reasons spelled out above (traffic lights, routes that use secondary roads, slow speed limits, etc.)

When that happens, it has never been a problem. We just notify dispatch that we are running late for those reasons. They bump the delivery time and everything is good.

OntarioVanMan · Nov 5, 2007

RE: and borders too

ATeam said "When that happens, it has never been a problem. We just notify dispatch that we are running late for those reasons. They bump the delivery time and everything is good."

Thats the other point I was trying to make. By increasing the speed we are calling in at every little traffic jam to have it on record. They are creatng more work for themselves by having to bump delivery times back and to notify customers.

I can work with 50...BUT why?

Ok E-1 now has a competitive edge on P2's 47mph...is P2 going to match or better this?

poison · Nov 5, 2007

the 47 mph average for a trip has not been a problem for us.we have always been way early. closest we came one time we made it to the shipper with only 30 min. to spare from our pickup time.planning is the key.fuel,and anything else you need to do and be ready for the QC to beep.we have it down to where.when we get a load offer we put in the address in the co-pilot gps and off we go.everything else is done.veh.
insp.eats, drinks,whatever.if the gps don't give us what we feel is right as far as locals go, one of us is on the phone and getting them from the shipper/customer while we are rolling.and yes we have alot of
place we go that have plenty of traffic lights and traffic to deal with
including rush hour.you can't sit around 10-15 min. getting things done at the last min.b4 you start rolling you have to be ready.

ATeam · Nov 5, 2007

RE: and borders too

There is another aspect to this that has to do with customer service.

With our carrier, shippers can track the location of the truck on the internet. We might be several hours ahead of a load going from say New York City to Chicago, and be delayed for an hour or two by a traffic accident that closes I-80 in Pennsylvania.

The delay itself would be no big deal as we could easily make the delivery. There would be no need to bump the time. But in a case like that, we would probably send in a delay message to dispatch 15 minutes into the delay. If the customer was watching us online (some do) and called to see why we had stopped moving, the information would be on the screen for the dispatcher or agent to see and share. It hurts nothing to keep dispatch informed and it sometimes helps.

Jefferson3000 · Nov 5, 2007

RE: and borders too

Probably the biggest pitfall to this situation is not the increase, but starting the clock upon arrival at shipper as opposed to departure. There is where people will lose time.

Drive Safe!

Jeff

Driver for 15 years
O/O for 13 years
OOIDA #829119

[em]"Let us be thankful for the fools. But for them the rest of us could not succeed." --Mark Twain[/em]

OntarioVanMan · Nov 5, 2007

RE: and borders too

Jefferson Good point...We always show up at the shippers early just in case it's ready early and punch the QC that we've arrived...now the "cheat factor" we don't always punch in that we're loaded...we hold back for 15-20 minutes Just so the clock doesn't start! But only do this on runs we figure are going to be close to complete on time.